A great grilled side dish

Asparagus on the grill - one of my favorites

Snap off the end of the asparagus (usually the bottom half to inch).  Then use a vegetable peeler and peel the remaining bottom inch.  In a bowl pour some EVOO with a little pepper, oregano, salt (optional),  Flat Leaf Parsley.  TOss asparagus and let sit about an hour. Throw on the grill and it is fabulous!

Christmas left over ideas

We do not have a traditional Christmas.  We had prime rib with scalloped taters and lots of other things.  We did not eat all of our prime rib so we saved it and the taters.  This morning we sauteed a few onions and bell peppers threw them in a pan with the taters and let them warm up.  We threw some EVOO in a pan with the prime rib to warm it. Then we made fried eggs and biscuits. It was YUMO!

Over Easy with a little fried egg

This one is for a friend of ours that used to bring over her breakfast and ask us to cook.  If she wanted an omelet she would bring over everything as ask us to make it.  One day she brought over an egg and asked for a fried egg!  So here we  go....

use a small pan and heat to medium (make sure you have a lid that fits the pan)

throw in a little butter

break egg into a small bowl

have a small bowl of water and spoon

gently pour egg into heated pan

once the whites are set add a few tablespoons of water and cover with the lid.

Within a minute or two you have the perfect fried/ over easy egg 

Make sure all the white cooks, but don't over cook the yellows (they should be runny).

You must have toast or taters to soak up the runny yolks!

Apple Cider Pork

Once again we were trying to use up what we had in our kitchen and pantry before moving.  We had some pork chops and apple cider and this is what we came  up with....

pork chops

apple cider

cider vinegar

Olive Oil

1 Onion 

1 -2 Red Bell Peppers

Salt 

Pepper

We marinated the chops overnight by combining some apple cider, EVOO (Olive Oil), a splash of cider vinegar and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Put in a shallow dish so the chops are cover.  Marinate in the fridge over night or at least 4-6 hours.  Just throw onto the grill.  

While it grills slice some onions and red bell pepper throw in a pan on medium high with a small amount of EVOO.  Saute away!  Once done to your likeness add some apple cider (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup).  The onions and peppers will absorb the liquid and add some flavor.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  You could add some apples and raisins to add even more flavor and crunch.  I would add the apples once the onions are soft and the raisins when you add the apple cider.  The raisins will plump up some from the liquid. We served with corn and mashed tater.  Enjoy!

Flank Steak Mary

Since we are moving and many spices and condiments are packed, it is all about creating meals with what you have!  We bought two flank steaks at Sam's and needed to marinate and freeze them before they went bad.  We looked around the kitchen and tried something new.

1 flank steak

Salt and Pepper 

Bloody Mary mix ( we used Mrs. T's)

Vodka

EVOO (Olive Oil)

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Butter

Celery salt.

Salt and pepper both sides of the flank steak.  Mix Bloody Mary Mix, a splash to 1/4 cup of Vodka (depending on what you like and the alcohol does cook out), a tablespoon or 2 of EVOO, a teaspoon of celery salt.   Add flank steak and marinate.  We grill our flank steak and like it medium.  This made our house smell SOOOOO good!  We also made up a sauce with the bloody mary mix, a teaspoon of butter, a dash of tabasco sauce, and a tablespoon of tomato paste.  Put in a small pot and simmer.  Put on top of your meat.  

Throw it in and let it simmer roast

Roast is a great cold weather meal. At my house, I must say the crock pot is the preferred method for making a roast.  This is a quick throw it together, throw it in the crock pot, and eat it later meal.  

What do you need? 

 A roast (I buy two at Sam's and freeze one for next time)

Carrots

Potatoes

Onions

Onion soup mix

Beef Broth

Put a pan on the stove and get it screaming hot (I put it on 7 or 8/ medium high).  Be sure it is large enough for your roast.  

I like to layer my veggies.  I cut my carrots, celery, and onions into bite size (but not too small). Then I add about a fourth of a large container of beef broth (I use generic).  I add half of the onion soup mix.  Be sure to stir and combine the broth and soup mix together.  Next, I put a layer of the veggies (onions, celery, and carrots) on the bottom of the crock pot.   

Once the pan on the stove is hot add your roast. You are just browning the outside of the meat.  Be sure to get the sides and edges.  Once brown add it to the crock pot. It should sit on top of the layer of veggies.  Now add the remaining veggies.  I like to pour the beef broth and remaining soup mix into a bowl to dissolve the soup mix.  Then pour it on top of the veggies.  Your goal is to cover the meat and most of the veggies.  Put your crock pot on high and check it from time to time. I like to make sure the veggies are getting tender and are in the broth mix so it soaks up the flavor.   I usually let my roast simmer in the crock pot for at least 6 hours.  The meat just falls apart!

Potatoes can also go in the crock pot. I find the taters get mushy.  I usually throw them in a pan the hour before I want to eat.  I cut them into small bite size pieces.  Then I mix some olive oil and a packet of soup mix.  You could also use beef broth.  Put it in a 350 degree oven.  I put foil over so the onions in the soup mix do not burn!    They are yummy!

Look for more hints, tips, and extras soon.